Paint thinner

A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints or clean up after their use, although all such solvents have other uses. Commercially, "paint thinner" is usually a name for mineral spirits.

Products used as paint thinners include:

• Mineral spirits
• Acetone
• Mineral turpentine (turps)
• True turpentine
• Naphtha
• White spirit
• Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)
• Dimethylformamide (DMF)
• 2-Butoxyethanol, or any of the other glycol ethers

Solvents generally used in the production of paint thinners include:

• Ethylbenzene
• Xylene
• n-butyl acetate
• Butan-1-ol

While painting or making the paint of proper consistency by addition of thinner liquid there is an exposure to the vapours. ACGIH has established threshold limit values (TLVs) for most of these compounds. TLV is defined as the maximum concentration in air which, if breathed by a normal person (i.e., excluding children, pregnant women, etc.) in the course of 40 hours work (in US work conditions) per week, day after day through their work life without long-term ill effects. Normally in undeveloped world workers work with much higher exposure to these chemicals with consequent damage to their health.

Recreational use

Some paint thinners, such as mineral turpentine, may be abused as inhalants. This is an extremely dangerous and potentially addictive form of drug abuse. Due to the dangers linked with inhaling these solvents, most paint thinners are recommended for use in well ventilated areas to minimize danger.